Personal Injury Law Blog

Far too many teen drivers are dying in accidents across the nation. At least seven are killed in car accidents virtually every single day. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the figures add up to more than 2,400 teens killed every year. Thousands more are seriously injured in addition to those who died.

The Crash Reporting Sampling System (CRSS) provides an analysis of data gathered on drivers aged 16-19 courtesy of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Findings that stood out include:

• Teen drivers involved in crashes were injured in the late afternoon between 2 PM to 6 PM, with the peak hours being identified as between 3 PM and 4 PM. The timing of these collisions is when teens are heading home from school and when the commute home begins.
• Male drivers and 19-year-old drivers were most likely to be in an accident. This was attributed to males driving more aggressively than females and trying to show off to friends.
• Teen males were twice as likely as females to have been DWI/DUI when they crashed.
• Thirty-five percent of all teen driver collisions are rear-enders, indicating distracted driving is a major issue.
• Males, adults, and teens pay more for insurance due to a higher risk of DUI/DWI rates, higher death rates, and more frequently being stopped by police for driving infractions.
• Teens behind the wheel of a Pontiac, Oldsmobile, or Chrysler were more likely to be injured.
• The most dangerous vehicles for teen drivers are considered to be compact or subcompact cars.

The Major Concern for Teen Drivers is Distracted Driving 

The most common accident teens are involved in is rear-enders, often caused by distracted driving. A stressed teen driver is a teen who has trouble focusing on driving. When other passengers and today’s technology are added, the level of distraction intensifies.

Of interest is a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety that showed 16-and-17-year-old drivers were at a much higher rate of being involved in a crash if: 

• They had one passenger under the age of 21. The risk of a crash increased by 44 percent.
• There were two riders under the age of 21, and there was not an adult along for the ride; the risk of a collision doubled.
• The driver had three or more individuals in the car under the age of 21 and there was not an adult in the vehicle, the risk of an accident quadrupled.
• The more people in the vehicle with a teen driver that are under the age of 21, the chances of an accident increase substantially.

However, if there was a passenger in the vehicle being driven by a teen, and that individual or individual was 35 years old or older, the risk of being in an accident decreased by 62 percent. 

Driving While Impaired is Also a Teen Issue

Drinking and driving and driving while under the influence of street or prescription drugs is common among teen boys. Pair the reduced ability to concentrate with a drugged or drunk driver, and accidents happen. It is against the law for teens to have alcohol in their systems. Data from CRSS indicated male teens are twice as likely to be the reason for a drug or alcohol-related accident.

Unfortunately, driving while under the influence of drugs, such as marijuana, has, overall, seen one in 10 individuals aged 16 – 20 state they have driven after indulging. While many people think marijuana is relatively harmless and can be considered to be helpful for medical issues, between 2000 and 2018, the percentage of collisions citing marijuana as the cause doubled. The facts are that marijuana affects coordination, vision, and alertness.

Ensuring a Teen’s Safety While Driving is Paramount

Parents can help their teens drive safely by providing them with the information and tools to help them avoid crashes and facing injuries or death. 

Making sure a teen has a defensive driving course, limiting distractions while driving, and doing due diligence in teaching your teen how to get it right goes a long way toward protecting them while they are learning the ropes. 

As parents, we must be aware of the various pitfalls faced by new teen drivers so that we can create a safety plan to help protect them.

If your teen was involved in a car accident, reach out to the experienced teen car accident attorneys at Briskman Briskman & Greenberg.“If you have been injured because of someone else’s carelessness (negligence), you have the right to pursue monetary compensation for your injury or loss and learn about the personal injury lawsuit process,” teen car accident attorney Paul Greenberg explained.